Not so long ago, Labor Day marked the start of the campaign season — the moment when candidates took to the road, volunteers walked door-to-door through neighborhoods and those planning to cast a vote in November began to focus on the choices before them.
Now, less than three weeks removed from the holiday weekend, some Virginians have already cast their ballots in races that will determine three critical statewide races, all 100 seats in the House of Delegates, and numerous important local offices. The landscape is radically different.
Still, the duty of voters remains the same: to conduct their research, to listen to the candidates, to weigh their choices and to make informed decisions. Changes to how the commonwealth votes have made elections more accessible, but the obligations for those who participate remain as timeless as ever.
The running joke about Virginia is that there’s always another election here. While most states organize their statewide and legislative elections around the federal calendar, on even-numbered years, the commonwealth persists in its practice of holding those important votes in odd years.
That benefits voters by ensuring that races for governor or delegate aren’t crowded out by those for president or Congress. But it also means that Virginia is under the microscope every four years as national attention turns to the commonwealth and the major political parties test their messages on residents here.
But, first and foremost, this year’s election should be about Virginia and its future. There’s no question that federal policies have an outsized effect in the commonwealth, which has a large population of active military and federal workers, and that the Trump administration casts a long shadow on Virginia.
The president and his policies are central to this year’s campaign, but the statewide officials and lawmakers who voters select this year will be charged with handling the nuts-and-bolts business of state governance — including public education, energy policy, transportation, climate change resilience and so on. On these and numerous other issues, Virginia must set its own course.
Some people have already heard enough. Early voting began on Friday and eager voters who have their minds made up have already cast their ballots. Plenty more will follow in the coming weeks; in 2021, about 35% of the total votes cast in the gubernatorial election were submitted before Election Day.
For others, though, weighing the choice between Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears may take more time. Same for the lieutenant governor race between Republican John Reid and Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, and the attorney general’s race between Republican incumbent Jason Miyares and Democratic former Del. Jay Jones.
Contests to decide members of the House of Delegates and local races also deserve voters’ attention and thoughtful consideration. And in Virginia Beach, residents will also mull a referendum question about how the city is apportioned for representation, either in a 10-1 or 7-3-1 system.
These are important choices not to be made hastily. Early voting has successfully made casting a ballot more convenient, and it was refreshing in 2023 to see Republican leaders, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin, buck President Donald Trump’s disparagement of absentee voting options and encourage more people to utilize that option.
But some people would rather see how things play out, to wait for debates or to attend nearby events to hear from the candidates. They may also benefit from coverage of the candidates and issues provided by The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press. Voters can find all our stories about the upcoming election at pilotonline.com/electionguide or dailypress.com/electionguide.
Everyone has a lot going on these days, and there’s always another obligation, duty or event vying for your attention. But the choices Virginia makes in November will echo for years to come, and it’s time to tune in and invest the time and energy to make informed decisions at the polls.